Overview of the Collection

Creator

Williams,
Randy, 1961-

Title

The Latino/Latina Voices Project

Dates

2007 and 2012 (bulk)

20072007

Quantity

5 linear feet, (12 boxes)

Collection Number

USU_FOLK COLL
38

Summary

The Latino/a Voices Project contains 54 oral history interviews with Cache Valley Utah Latino/a community members. The collection was created in two phases. In 2007, 45 adults (46 interviews) were conducted. This first phase includes the original interview cassette tape(s),
typed transcription, photo (if available), compact disc(s) of original cassette tapes, and translated transcripts (Spanish interviews translated into English and English interviews translated into Spanish). Also included in this phase are administrative correspondence and papers, newspaper articles, release forms,
and training materials for interviewers. The 2007 materials are housed in boxes 1-11. In 2012, phase two was created, with youth perspectives. These materials include eight interviews with youths (15-18 years of age) from Mountain Crest High School in Hyrum, Utah, during November 2012. The Latino Voices: Youth Perspectives are
housed in box 12.

Open to public research. To access the collection a patron must have the following
information: collection number, series number, sub-series number, if applicable, box
number and folder number (or image number).

The Latino/Latina Voices Project is part of Northern Utah Speaks, a collection of oral
histories captured and preserved in USU's Special Collections and Archives that works to
tell the story of all Northern Utah's citizens. The Latino/a Voices Project (LVP) began
as a way to better understand and acknowledge the local, state and national story for
the largest minority group in Cache Valley. The Latino/a population in Utah is made up
of many communities including those born and raised in Utah to people who have
immigrated to Utah from all parts of Mexico, Central and South America, and those who
moved here from other U.S. states, especially California, Arizona and Texas.

Through funding from Utah Humanities Council/Utah Division of State History, Utah State
Historical Records Advisory Board and the Marriner S. Eccles Foundation, a workshop was
conducted to train bilingual community members to identify, collect and record the oral
history of Cache Valley's Latino/a community members. Oral history fieldworkers each
conducted oral histories in the local Latino/a community. The interviews covered
topics such as family traditions, religion, jobs and interests, as well as challenges
associated with relocation, cultural identity and cultural differences. The oral
historians recorded the oral histories on cassette tapes, which were then transferred
from tape format to Wave files for digital storage. All the interviews were translated from the
orignial (either Spanish or English) into English or Spanish. In 2012 Youth Perspectives were added to the collection.

The materials in this collection include the original cassette tape(s), the typed
transcription, photo (if available), compact disc(s) for each recorded interview and translated transcripts.
Cassette tapes are attached to the inside front cover of each folder and compact discs
are attached to the back of each folder.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of
the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents
from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.

Preferred Citation

Arrangement

Recorded interviews, transcripts, and photographs arranged alphabetically by the
narrator's surname.

Acquisition Information

To better represent the voice of Northern Utah's Latino/a Community, Randy Williams and
Brad Cole, of USU Special Collections & Archives, spearheaded an initiative to
collect oral histories from Latino/a citizens living in Cache Valley, Utah. In order to
do this, they worked diligently to gain community support and help. A community advisory
board was created and Elisaida Méndez and Jorge Roads, both native Spanish-speakers,
were hired to help direct the project, conduct the oral history workshop, recruit
interviewees and oversee the interviewers. Randy, Ellie and Jorge trained 21 bilingual
community members and USU students to conduct the oral history interviews. Between April
and October 2007, 46 oral history interviews were conducted. In the fall of 2007, the
sound was transferred from cassette tape to .wav file and listening CDs and all the
interviews were transcribed by Workforce Language Services, LTD. All of the Spanish language
interviews have been translated to English by Ubiqus. In 2012 all the English interviews were tranlsated by Ubiqus.

In an effort to understand the life experiences of Latino/a youths, in November 2012, Randy Williams (Fife Folklore Archives Curator) and
USU professors Maria Luisa Spicer-Escalante and Eduardo Ortiz, conducted eight interviews with Latino youths from Mountain Crest High School (15-18 year olds).
The eight oral histories (one of a focus group with nine students, and seven interviews with individual students: K. Franco, H. Hernandez,
F. Pacheco, L. Madrigal, A. Pineda, Y. Pineda, Maria) were added to the collection January 2013.

Processing Note

Collection processed and finding aid created by Sara Skindelien, March 2008. Finding aid updated by Randy
Williams, May 2012. The Latino Voices: Youth Perspectives was processed by Randy Williams, January 2013.